Bruntwood is a family-owned property company offering office space, serviced offices, retail space and virtual offices in the north of England and Birmingham in the United Kingdom. They own several high-profile buildings in the Manchester area, as well as in Liverpool, Leeds and Birmingham. They own one-third of the office space in Manchester city centre and also donate 10% of all annual profits to arts, cultural and community charities.

Bruntwood also offer meeting and conference rooms available to hire from one hour upwards in a number of their buildings.

Bruntwood's portfolio of 115 properties is worth over one billion pounds[3] and includes over 560,000 square metres of floorspace.

1.
Manchester
–
Manchester is a major city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England, with a population of 514,414 as of 2013. It lies within the United Kingdoms second-most populous urban area, with a population of 2.55 million, Manchester is fringed by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east and an arc of towns with which it forms a continuous conurbation. The local authority is Manchester City Council and it was historically a part of Lancashire, although areas of Cheshire south of the River Mersey were incorporated during the 20th century. Throughout the Middle Ages Manchester remained a township but began to expand at an astonishing rate around the turn of the 19th century. Manchesters unplanned urbanisation was brought on by a boom in textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution, Manchester achieved city status in 1853. The Manchester Ship Canal opened in 1894, creating the Port of Manchester and its fortunes declined after the Second World War, owing to deindustrialisation. The city centre was devastated in a bombing in 1996, but it led to extensive investment, in 2014, the Globalization and World Cities Research Network ranked Manchester as a beta world city, the highest-ranked British city apart from London. Manchester is the third-most visited city in the UK and it is notable for its architecture, culture, musical exports, media links, scientific and engineering output, social impact, sports clubs and transport connections. Manchester Liverpool Road railway station was the worlds first inter-city passenger railway station and in the city scientists first split the atom, the name Manchester originates from the Latin name Mamucium or its variant Mancunium and the citizens are still referred to as Mancunians. These are generally thought to represent a Latinisation of an original Brittonic name, both meanings are preserved in languages derived from Common Brittonic, mam meaning breast in Irish and mother in Welsh. The suffix -chester is a survival of Old English ceaster and their territory extended across the fertile lowland of what is now Salford and Stretford. Central Manchester has been settled since this time. A stabilised fragment of foundations of the version of the Roman fort is visible in Castlefield. After the Roman withdrawal and Saxon conquest, the focus of settlement shifted to the confluence of the Irwell, much of the wider area was laid waste in the subsequent Harrying of the North. Thomas de la Warre, lord of the manor, founded and constructed a church for the parish in 1421. The church is now Manchester Cathedral, the premises of the college house Chethams School of Music. The library, which opened in 1653 and is open to the public today, is the oldest free public reference library in the United Kingdom. Manchester is mentioned as having a market in 1282, around the 14th century, Manchester received an influx of Flemish weavers, sometimes credited as the foundation of the regions textile industry

2.
Northern England
–
Northern England or the North of England, also known as the North Country or simply the North, is the northern part of England, when considered as a single cultural area. The area roughly spans from the River Trent and River Dee to the Scottish border in the north, Northern England roughly comprises three statistical regions, the North East, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber. These have a population of around 14.9 million as of the 2011 Census. The region has been controlled by groups from the Brigantes. After the Norman conquest in 1066, the Harrying of the North brought destruction, a Council of the North was in place during the Late Middle Ages until the Commonwealth after the Civil War. The area experienced Anglo–Scottish border fighting until the unification of Britain under the Stuarts, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the economy of the North was dominated by heavy industry such as weaving, shipbuilding, steelmaking and mining. The deindustrialisation that followed in the half of the 20th century hit Northern England hard. For government and statistical purposes, Northern England is defined as the covered by the three statistical regions of North East England, North West England and Yorkshire and the Humber. This definition will be used in article, except when otherwise stated. Using historic county boundaries, the North is generally taken to comprise Cumberland, Northumberland, Westmorland, County Durham, Lancashire and Yorkshire, the Isle of Man is occasionally included in definitions of the North, although it is politically and culturally distinct from England. Additionally, some areas of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire have been associated with the North. The geographer Danny Dorling includes most of the West Midlands and part of the East Midlands in his definition of the North, conversely, more restrictive definitions also exist, typically based on the extent of the historical Northumbria, which exclude Cheshire and Lincolnshire. Personal definitions of the North vary greatly and are sometimes passionately debated, when asked to draw a dividing line between North and South, Southerners tend to draw this line further south than Northerners do. Various towns have been described as or promoted themselves as the gateway to the North, including Crewe, Stoke-on-Trent, through the North of England run the Pennines, an upland chain often referred to as the backbone of England. This stretches from the Cheviot Hills on the border with Scotland to the Peak District, the geography of the North has been heavily shaped by the ice sheets of the Pleistocene era, which often reached as far south as the Midlands. On the other side of the Pennines, a glacial lake forms the Humberhead Levels, a large area of fenland which drains into the Humber. This has left the North a region of contrasts, the Lake District includes Englands highest peak, Scafell Pike, which rises to 978 m, its largest lake, Windermere, and its deepest lake, Wastwater. However, dense areas have emerged along the coasts and rivers

3.
Birmingham
–
Birmingham is a major city and metropolitan borough of West Midlands, England lying on the River Rea, a small river that runs through Birmingham. It is the largest and most populous British city outside London, the city is in the West Midlands Built-up Area, the third most populous urban area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2,440,986 at the 2011 census. Birminghams metropolitan area is the second most populous in the UK with a population of 3.8 million and this also makes Birmingham the 8th most populous metropolitan area in Europe. By 1791 it was being hailed as the first manufacturing town in the world, perhaps the most important invention in British history, the industrial steam engine, was invented in Birmingham. From the summer of 1940 to the spring of 1943, Birmingham was bombed heavily by the German Luftwaffe in what is known as the Birmingham Blitz. The damage done to the infrastructure, in addition to a deliberate policy of demolition and new building by planners, led to extensive demolition. Today Birminghams economy is dominated by the service sector and its metropolitan economy is the second largest in the United Kingdom with a GDP of $121. 1bn, and its six universities make it the largest centre of higher education in the country outside London. Birmingham is the fourth-most visited city in the UK by foreign visitors, Birminghams sporting heritage can be felt worldwide, with the concept of the Football League and lawn tennis both originating from the city. Its most successful football club Aston Villa has won seven league titles, people from Birmingham are called Brummies, a term derived from the citys nickname of Brum. This originates from the citys name, Brummagem, which may in turn have been derived from one of the citys earlier names. There is a distinctive Brummie accent and dialect, Birminghams early history is that of a remote and marginal area. The main centres of population, power and wealth in the pre-industrial English Midlands lay in the fertile and accessible river valleys of the Trent, the Severn and the Avon. The area of modern Birmingham lay in between, on the upland Birmingham Plateau and within the wooded and sparsely populated Forest of Arden. Birmingham as a settlement dates from the Anglo-Saxon era, within a century of the charter Birmingham had grown into a prosperous urban centre of merchants and craftsmen. By 1327 it was the third-largest town in Warwickshire, a position it would retain for the next 200 years, by 1700 Birminghams population had increased fifteenfold and the town was the fifth-largest in England and Wales. The importance of the manufacture of goods to Birminghams economy was recognised as early as 1538. Equally significant was the emerging role as a centre for the iron merchants who organised finance, supplied raw materials. The 18th century saw this tradition of free-thinking and collaboration blossom into the phenomenon now known as the Midlands Enlightenment

4.
Liverpool
–
Liverpool is a major city and metropolitan borough in North West England.24 million people in 2011. Liverpool historically lay within the ancient hundred of West Derby in the south west of the county of Lancashire and it became a borough from 1207 and a city from 1880. In 1889 it became a county borough independent of Lancashire, Liverpool sits on the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary and its growth as a major port is paralleled by the expansion of the city throughout the Industrial Revolution. Along with general cargo, freight, raw materials such as coal and cotton, the city was also directly involved in the Atlantic slave trade. Liverpool was home to both the Cunard and White Star Line, and was the port of registry of the ocean liner RMS Titanic and others such as the RMS Lusitania, Queen Mary, and Olympic. The city celebrated its 800th anniversary in 2007, and it held the European Capital of Culture title together with Stavanger, Norway, several areas of Liverpool city centre were granted World Heritage Site status by UNESCO in 2004. The Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City includes the Pier Head, Albert Dock, tourism forms a significant part of the citys economy. Liverpool is also the home of two Premier League football clubs, Liverpool and Everton, matches between the two being known as the Merseyside derby, the world-famous Grand National horse race takes place annually at Aintree Racecourse on the outskirts of the city. The city is home to the oldest Black African community in the country. Natives of Liverpool are referred to as Liverpudlians and colloquially as Scousers, a reference to scouse, the word Scouse has also become synonymous with the Liverpool accent and dialect. Pool is a place name element in England from the Brythonic word for a pond, inlet, or pit, cognate with the modern Welsh. The derivation of the first element remains uncertain, with the Welsh word Llif as the most plausible relative and this etymology is supported by its similarity to that of the archaic Welsh name for Liverpool Llynlleifiad. Other origins of the name have suggested, including elverpool. The name appeared in 1190 as Liuerpul, and it may be that the place appearing as Leyrpole, in a record of 1418. King Johns letters patent of 1207 announced the foundation of the borough of Liverpool, the original street plan of Liverpool is said to have been designed by King John near the same time it was granted a royal charter, making it a borough. The original seven streets were laid out in an H shape, Bank Street, Castle Street, Chapel Street, Dale Street, Juggler Street, Moor Street, in the 17th century there was slow progress in trade and population growth. Battles for the town were waged during the English Civil War, in 1699 Liverpool was made a parish by Act of Parliament, that same year its first slave ship, Liverpool Merchant, set sail for Africa. Since Roman times, the city of Chester on the River Dee had been the regions principal port on the Irish Sea

5.
Leeds
–
Leeds /liːdz/ is a city in West Yorkshire, England. Historically in Yorkshires West Riding, the history of Leeds can be traced to the 5th century when the name referred to an area of the Kingdom of Elmet. The name has applied to many administrative entities over the centuries. It changed from being the appellation of a small borough in the 13th century, through several incarnations. In the 17th and 18th centuries Leeds became a centre for the production. During the Industrial Revolution, Leeds developed into a mill town, wool was the dominant industry but flax, engineering, iron foundries, printing. From being a market town in the valley of the River Aire in the 16th century Leeds expanded and absorbed the surrounding villages to become a populous urban centre by the mid-20th century. The city has the third largest jobs total by local authority area with 480,000 in employment and self-employment at the beginning of 2015. Leeds is also ranked as a world city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network. Leeds is served by four universities, and has the fourth largest student population in the country and has the fourth largest urban economy. After London, Leeds is the largest legal and financial centre in the UK, with over 30 national and international banks located in the city. Leeds is also the UKs third largest manufacturing centre with around 1,800 firms and 39,000 employees, the largest sub-sectors are engineering, printing and publishing, food and drink, chemicals and medical technology. Outside of London, Leeds has the third busiest railway station, Public transport, rail and road communications networks in the region are focused on Leeds and there are a number of twinning arrangements with towns and cities in other countries. The name Leeds derives from the old Brythonic word Ladenses meaning people of the fast-flowing river and this name originally referred to the forested area covering most of the Brythonic kingdom of Elmet, which existed during the 5th century into the early 7th century. An inhabitant of Leeds is locally known as a Loiner, a word of uncertain origin, the term Leodensian is also used, from the citys Latin name. Leeds developed as a town in the Middle Ages as part of the local agricultural economy. Before the Industrial Revolution it became a centre for the manufacture of woollen cloth. Leeds handled one sixth of Englands export trade in 1770, growth, initially in textiles, was accelerated by the building of the Aire and Calder Navigation in 1699 and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal in 1816

6.
Afflecks
–
Afflecks is an indoor market in Manchester, England, in the citys Northern Quarter on the junction of Church Street/Tib Street and Dale Street with Oldham Street. Dozens of independent stalls, small shops and boutiques operate in the one building, the building was once occupied by a department store called Affleck and Brown as a store and office space, hence the name. Affleck & Brown was started in the 1860s as a business in Oldham Street. The store grew to occupy a block between Oldham Street, Church Street and Tib Street and become a full flung department store. The business had a reputation as a credit draper and was known for a good range of cloth for home dressmaking as well as a furrier. The business started to decline after the advent of the Second World War as shopping moved away from Oldham Street, but the continued decline of the area and the ownership of another Manchester department Store, Pauldens saw the store close down in 1973. Afflecks Palace first opened in 1981 by James and Elaine Walsh with an ethos of offering an environment for entrepreneurs to start out with affordable rent. Unit holders operated under an agreement which allowed them to pay for space on a week by week basis. The atmosphere and colourful maze-like layout led to Afflecks becoming a mecca for alternative culture, the establishment was able to bounce back from two building fires and overcame many obstacles. On 31 March 2008, Afflecks Palace ceased trading and it re-opened on 1 April 2008 as Afflecks under new management. Afflecks is now managed by Mancunian property developer Bruntwood after the expiry of a 25-year lease in 2007 and we arent however expert in managing markets, so will look for a suitable long term owner. Afflecks Palace currently has over 73 businesses operating inside of it, Afflecks also has a variety of cafes. The independent markets have continued to be popular with one million visitors in 2012, all 73 units are fully let and attract an average of 24,000 shoppers every week, including 7,000 on Saturdays. Quiggins - a similar indoor market closed in 2006 with the redevelopment of Liverpool City Centre

7.
Stockport
–
Stockport /ˈstɒkpɔːrt/ is a large town in Greater Manchester, England,7 miles south-east of Manchester city centre, where the River Goyt and Tame merge to create the River Mersey. The town is the largest settlement in the borough of the same name. Historically, most of the town was in Cheshire, but the area to the north of the Mersey was in Lancashire. Stockport in the 16th century was a small town entirely on the bank of the Mersey. In the 18th century the town had one of the first mechanised factories in the British Isles. However, Stockports predominant industries of the 19th century were the cotton, Stockport was also at the centre of the countrys hatting industry, which by 1884 was exporting more than six million hats a year, the last hat works in Stockport closed in 1997. Dominating the western approaches to the town is the Stockport Viaduct, built in 1840, the viaducts 27 brick arches carry the mainline railways from Manchester to Birmingham and London over the River Mersey. This structure featured as the background in many paintings by L. S. Lowry, Stockport was recorded as Stokeport in 1170. The currently accepted etymology is Old English port, a place, with stoc, a hamlet, hence. Older derivations include stock, a place or castle, with port. The castle probably refers to Stockport Castle, a 12th-century motte-and-bailey first mentioned in 1173, other derivations are based on early variants such as Stopford and Stockford. There is evidence that a ford across the Mersey existed at the foot of Bridge Street Brow, Stopford retains a use in the adjectival form, Stopfordian, for Stockport-related items, and pupils of Stockport Grammar School style themselves Stopfordians. By contrast, former pupils of Stockport School are known as Old Stoconians, Stopfordian is used as the general term, or demonym used for people from Stockport, much as someone from London would be a Londoner. Stockport has never been a sea or river port as the Mersey is not navigable here, in the centre of Stockport it has been culverted and the main shopping street, Merseyway, built above it. The earliest evidence of occupation in the wider area are microliths from the hunter-gatherers of the Mesolithic period and weapons. Early Bronze Age remains include stone hammers, flint knives, palstaves, there is a gap in the age of finds between about 1200 BC and the start of the Roman period in about 70 AD, which may indicate depopulation, possibly due to a poorer climate. Despite a strong tradition, there is little evidence of a Roman military station at Stockport. It is assumed that roads from Cheadle to Ardotalia and Manchester to Buxton crossed close to the town centre

8.
Knutsford
–
Knutsford is a town in Cheshire, England,14 miles south-west of Manchester and 9 miles north-west of Macclesfield. The population of the town at the 2011 Census was 13,191, Knutsford is a dormitory town for people working in Manchester and Liverpool. Residents include actress Barbara Knox and comedian Sarah Millican, it is a particularly popular among footballers, being home to Peter Crouch, Sam Ricketts, Michael Jacobs. Knutsfords main town streets, Princess Street and King Street lower down. At one end of the narrow King Street is an entrance to Tatton Park, the Tatton estate was home to the Egerton family, and has given its name to Tatton parliamentary constituency, which includes the neighbouring communities of Alderley Edge and Wilmslow. Former Parliamentary representatives include the BBC war correspondent Martin Bell, who stood as an Independent in 1997 to defeat the disgraced former Conservative Party MP, the present MP for Tatton is the former Chancellor of The Exchequer, the Right Honourable George Osborne. Knutsford was recorded in the William the Conquerors Domesday Book of 1086 as Cunetesford, King Canute was the king of England and later king of Denmark, Norway and parts of Sweden as well. The English Place-Name Society gives the name as being derived from the Old English for Knutrs ford or possibly hillock ford, Knutsford Gaol was built in 1817 and later extended in 1853. During the First World War it was used as a military prison, the Gaol was demolished in 1934. Knutsford was the place in which General George S, after the Second World War overspill housing estates were created in the town to accommodate families from Manchester. The Longridge overspill estate was built in Over Ward by Manchester City Council in the 1960s, at the end of the 20th century, all of the homes on the estate that had not already been sold to their occupants were transferred to Manchester Methodist Housing. In 2005 Knutsford was named as the most expensive town to buy a house in Northern England, there is an extremely large range of house prices in Knutsford, currently varying from approximately £79,000 to £3,850,000. Knutsford has been under the council of Cheshire East since April 2009. Prior to that Knutsford was in the Borough of Macclesfield, Knutsford Town Council was created after the abolition of the Urban District Council in the Local Government Reorganisation of 1974. The town comprises four wards, Nether, Norbury Booths, Bexton, each ward returns three councillors except for Over which, owing to its size and greater population, returns six. Each councillor serves a four-year term, the Town Council is elected whole every four years. The election held on 7 May 2015 returned 12 Conservatives and three independents, Knutsford has excellent access to the motorway network, with junctions to the M6 and M56 motorways. Knutsford is served by Knutsford railway station which is situated on the Mid-Cheshire Line running from Chester to Manchester, the station was built in 1862 by the Cheshire Midland Railway

9.
Altrincham
–
At the 2001 UK census, it had a population of 41,000 increasing to 52,419 at the 2011 census. Further socioeconomic development came with the extension of the Bridgewater Canal to Altrincham in 1765, Altrincham today is an affluent commuter town, partly because of its transport links. The town has a middle class presence, there has been a steady increase in Altrinchams middle classes since the 19th century. It is also home to Altrincham F. C. and three ice hockey clubs, Manchester Storm, Altrincham Aces and Trafford Tornados, Altrinchams population increased to 45,809 in 2011. Local evidence of human activity exists in the form of two Neolithic arrowheads found in Altrincham, and further afield, a concentration of artefacts around Dunham. The remains of a Roman road, part of one of the major Roman roads in North West England connecting the fortresses of Chester and York. As it shows signs of having been repaired, the road was in use for a period of time. The name Altrincham first appears as Aldringeham, probably meaning homestead of Aldheres people, as recently as the 19th century it was spelt both Altrincham and Altringham. The earliest documented reference to the town is from 1290, when it was granted its charter as a Free Borough by Baron Hamon de Massey V. The charter allowed a market to be held, and it is possible that de Massey established the town to generate income through taxes on trade. This suggests that Altrincham may have been a market town, unusual during the Middle Ages. Altrincham was probably chosen as the site of the town rather than Dunham – which would have been protected by Dunham Castle – because its good access to roads was important for trade. Altrincham Fair became St Jamess Fair or Samjam in 1319 and continued until 1895, Fair days had their own court of Pye Powder, presided over by the mayor and held to settle disputes arising from the days dealings. The earliest known residence in Altrincham was the Knoll, on Stamford Street near the centre of the medieval town, during the English Civil War, men from Altrincham fought for the Parliamentarian Sir George Booth. During the war, armies camped on nearby Bowdon Downs on several occasions, in 1754, a stretch of road south of Altrincham, along the Manchester to Chester route, was turnpiked. Turnpikes were toll roads which taxed passengers for the maintenance of the road, further sections were turnpiked in 1765 from Timperley to Sale, and 1821 from Altrincham to Stockport. The maintenance of roads passed to local authorities in 1888, although by then most turnpike trusts had already declined, the connection of the Bridgewater Canal to Altrincham in 1765 stimulated the development of market gardening, and for many years Altrincham was noted for its vegetables. By 1767, warehouses had been alongside the canal at Broadheath, the first step in the development of Broadheath as an industrial area

10.
Marks & Spencer
–
Marks and Spencer plc is a major British multinational retailer headquartered in the City of Westminster, London. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE100 Index and it specialises in the selling of clothing, home products and luxury food products. M&S was founded in 1884 by Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer in Leeds, the company also began to sell branded goods like Kelloggs Corn Flakes in November 2008. In recent years its clothing sales have fallen whilst food sales have increased after the axing of St. Michaels naming for their own brand. The company was founded by a partnership between Michael Marks, a Polish Jew from Słonim, and Thomas Spencer, a cashier from the English market town of Skipton in North Yorkshire. On his arrival in England, Marks worked for a company in Leeds, called Barran, in 1884 he met Isaac Jowitt Dewhirst while looking for work. Dewhirst lent Marks £5 which he used to establish his Penny Bazaar on Kirkgate Market, Dewhirst also taught him a little English. Dewhirsts cashier was Tom Spencer, a bookkeeper, whose wife, Agnes. In 1894, when Marks acquired a permanent stall in Leeds covered market, in 1901 Marks moved to the Birkenhead open market where he amalgamated with Spencer. The pair were allocated stall numbers 11 &12 in the aisle in 1903. The company left Birkenhead Market on 24 February 1923 and it also accepted the return of unwanted items, giving a full cash refund if the receipt was shown, no matter how long ago the product was purchased, which was unusual for the time. M&S staff raised £5,000 to pay for a Supermarine Spitfire fighter aircraft called The Marksman in 1941, by 1950, virtually all goods were sold under the St Michael label. M&S lingerie, womens clothes and girls uniform were branded under the St Margaret label until the whole range of general merchandise became St Michael. Simon Marks, son of Michael Marks, died in 1964, Israel Sieff, the son-in-law of Michael Marks, took over as chairman and in 1968, John Salisse became the company Director. A cautious international expansion began with the introduction of Asian food in 1974, M&S opened stores in continental Europe in 1975 and in Ireland four years later. The company put its emphasis on quality, including a 1957 stocking size measuring system. For most of its history, it also had a reputation for offering fair value for money, when this reputation began to waver, it encountered serious difficulties. Arguably, M&S has historically been an iconic retailer of British Quality Goods, the uncompromising attitude towards customer relations was summarised by the 1953 slogan, The customer is always and completely right

11.
Tesco
–
Tesco PLC is a British multinational grocery and general merchandise retailer with headquarters in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom. It is the third largest retailer in the world measured by profits and it has stores in 12 countries across Asia and Europe and is the grocery market leader in the UK, Ireland, Hungary, Malaysia and Thailand. Tesco was founded in 1919 by Jack Cohen as a group of market stalls and his business expanded rapidly, and by 1939 he had over 100 Tesco stores across the country. This broadening of its appeal was successful, and saw the chain grow from 500 stores in the mid-1990s to 2,500 stores fifteen years later, Tesco is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE100 Index. It had a capitalization of approximately £18.1 billion as of 22 April 2015. Jack Cohen, the son of Jewish migrants from Poland, founded Tesco in 1919 when he began to sell war-surplus groceries from a stall at Well Street Market, Hackney, the Tesco brand first appeared in 1924. The name came about after Jack Cohen bought a shipment of tea from Thomas Edward Stockwell and he made new labels using the initials of the suppliers name, and the first two letters of his surname, forming the word TESCO. Tesco was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1947 as Tesco Stores Limited, the first self-service store opened in St Albans in 1956, and the first supermarket in Maldon in 1956. In 1961 Tesco Leicester made an appearance in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest store in Europe, during the 1950s and the 1960s Tesco grew organically, and also through acquisitions, until it owned more than 800 stores. The company purchased 70 Williamsons stores,200 Harrow Stores outlets,212 Irwins stores,97 Charles Phillips stores, Jack Cohens business motto was pile it high and sell it cheap, to which he added an internal motto of YCDBSOYA which he used to motivate his sales force. In May 1987, Tesco completed its takeover of the Hillards chain of 40 supermarkets in the North of England for £220 million. In 1994, the took over the supermarket chain William Low after fighting off Sainsburys for control of the Dundee-based firm. This paved the way for Tesco to expand its presence in Scotland, Tesco introduced a loyalty card, branded Clubcard in 1995, and later an Internet shopping service. Overseas operations were introduced the same year, Terry Leahy assumed the role of Chief Executive on 21 February 1997, the appointment having been announced on 21 November 1995. The deal was approved by the European Commission on 6 May 1997, in July 2001 Tesco became involved in internet grocery retailing in the USA when it obtained a 35% stake in GroceryWorks. In 2002 Tesco purchased 13 HIT hypermarkets in Poland and it also made a major move into the UK convenience store market with its purchase of T & S Stores, owner of 870 convenience stores in the One Stop, Dillons and Day & Nite chains in the UK. In June 2003 Tesco purchased the C Two-Network in Japan and it also acquired a majority stake in Turkish supermarket chain Kipa. In January 2004 Tesco acquired Adminstore, owner of 45 Cullens, Europa, in Thailand, Tesco Lotus was a joint venture of the Charoen Pokphand Group and Tesco, but facing criticism over the growth of hypermarkets CP Group sold its Tesco Lotus shares in 2003

12.
Krispy Kreme
–
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc. is an American global doughnut company and coffeehouse chain based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Krispy Kreme is a privately held company owned by JAB Beech, in the United States, Krispy Kremes products are sold via their own outlets as well as through grocery, convenience stores and supermarkets. They are also available in countries through various channels. The companys growth was steady prior to its public offering. On February 24,2015, Krispy Kreme opened its 1, 000th shop in Kansas City, the store struggled during the Great Depression, so in 1934, Vernon and Ishmael decided to move to the larger city of Nashville, Tennessee where they hoped business would be better. The uncle and nephew focused solely on selling their doughnuts and opened The Krispy Kreme Doughnut Company in a store on Gallatin Road. The shop did so well that Vernons father, Plumie, also left Kentucky, rudolph primarily sold to convenience stores, however, he also sold hot doughnuts to individual customers who came during production time between midnight and 4 am. The first store in North Carolina was located in a building on South Main Street in Winston-Salem in what is now called historic Old Salem. The Krispy Kreme logo was designed by Benny Dinkins, a local architect, the first Krispy Kreme bakery outside the South opened in Akron, Ohio, in 1939. Expansion occurred in the 1950s, including a store in Savannah. By the 1960s, Krispy Kreme was known throughout the Southeast, in 1976, Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation became a wholly owned subsidiary of Beatrice Foods of Chicago, Illinois. The headquarters for Krispy Kreme remained in Winston-Salem, a group of franchisees purchased the corporation back from Beatrice Foods in 1982. In May 2016, JAB Beech, a German investment firm, the transaction closed on July 27,2016. Krispy Kreme began another phase of expansion in the 1990s. Then, in December 2001, Krispy Kreme opened its first store outside the U. S. in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, on April 5,2000, the corporation went public on the NASDAQ at $21 using the ticker symbol KREM. On May 17,2001, Krispy Kreme switched to the New York Stock Exchange, with the ticker symbol KKD, which it carried until its private acquisition. The stock reached what would be its all-time high of $50 on the New York Stock Exchange in August 2003, for the fiscal year ending in February 2004, the company reported sales of $665.6 million and operating profits of $94.7 million from almost 400 stores. The market initially considered the company as having solid fundamentals, adding stores at a clip and showing steadily increasing sales